But still he felt that, had he told the story, people far and wide would have connected his name with the man's absence, and, worse again, that Florence's name would have become entangled with it also.

For the first day or two he had from hour to hour abstained from telling all that he knew, and then when the day or two were passed, and when a week had run by,--when a fortnight had been allowed to go,--it was impossible for him not to hold his tongue.
He became nervous, unhappy, and irritated down at Buston, with his father and mother and sister's, but more especially with his uncle.
Previous to this his uncle for a couple of months had declined to see him; now he was sent for to the Hall and interrogated daily on this special subject.

Mr.Prosper was aware that his nephew had been intimate with Augustus Scarborough, and that he might, therefore, be presumed to know much about the family.

Mr.Prosper took the keenest interest in the illegitimacy and the impecuniosity and final disappearance of the captain, and no doubt did, in his cross-examinations, discover the fact that Harry was unwilling to answer his questions.

He found out for the first time that Harry was acquainted with the captain, and also contrived to extract from him the name of Miss Mountjoy.